Along with the Nexus 7 and Android 4.1 Jelly Bean, Google also released a surprising new Nexus device, the Nexus Q. The Nexus Q is a “social streaming media player” that can stream music, videos (including the ones from YouTube) using Wi-Fi. The Nexus Q packs in a 25-watt amp speaker along with dual-band Wi-Fi b/g/n support, microUSB support to “encourage general hackability”, Bluetooth, NFC and a drop-dead gorgeous design. There is a circle of LEDs running around the Q that lights up when a song or movie is played on the device.

The Q is powered by an OMAP 4460 chip – the same SoC that powers the Galaxy Nexus(!) – 1GB of RAM and 16GB on-board storage. Along with analog output, the Q also has micro-HDMI and digital output ports. The device is tightly integrated with Google Play and will stream content directly from Google Play, and not your Android device(s).

Below is a video that fully showcases what the Nexus Q is capable of -:

The Q can also act as an amplifier and will allow users to plug in additional speakers to it. The device also has a touch sensor that allows users to mute the currently playing audio/video by just touching the device. Apart from this, the device will run on Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich. Yes, a speaker that runs on Android !

The Nexus Q is the first device from Google to come under the Google Play@Home brand that was showcased by the company last year. The bad news is that the Nexus Q costs an exorbitantly high $299 and will only be available in the United States for now. The Nexus Q can be pre-ordered from Google’s Play Store for $299 and will ship sometime in July.

Rajesh is a 19 year old nerd, currently pursuing B.Com Hons from Bhawanipore college in Kolkata, India. He loves everything tech, especially Android. You can follow him on twitter @ePandu or mail to him at rajesh@techie-buzz.com.